Possessions & Obssesions
by Salemsoriginal99
Summary: After a nightmarish summer, Hermione is back at Hogwarts. Little does she know, as she battles with her feelings toward a special red, the man who has been haunting her dreams is about to arrive at Hogwarts and with him, a big surprise. HrR HG
1. An Inner War

She found herself in the same position she had retained for the past two weeks. Gazing out onto the grounds and watching the giant squid glide across the seemingly still lake, she sighed. _Why can't I just tell him? Why is it so difficult? Why can't I just let him in, instead of leaving him alone? Why didn't I…STOP! _These were the questions that tormented her ever since she had seen him at Kings Cross Station this summer, the questions that burrowed into her soul and filled her dreams and made her heart hurt more every time she saw him.

_You need to stop this._

_**Stop what?**_

_Pining over him._

_**Easy for you to say.**_

_Think logically now._

_**Oh, your very good at that aren't you. **_

_Well that's why I'm up here. I'm supposed to think logically. Something you are incapable of doing. You always act irrationally and then land us in a big mess._

**_Keep it up…_**

_All I'm trying to say is that you need to stop thinking about him. He's the reason we're so miserable._

**_Why can't we just let him in?_**

_He wouldn't understand, you know how he gets._

**_Harry knows!_**

_Harry was there!_

**_That's not the point._**

_Oh! And pray tell, what is the point of this debate!_

**_I lo…_**

_Don't even say it!_

**_But…_**

_NO!_

**_Why!_**

_Remember the last time you made us say that. REMEMBER WHERE THAT LANDED US!_

_**Yes… but he's not like that.** _

_That's what we thought about Wellington. _

_**But…** He said we belonged to him. _

_**How was I supposed to know what he was capable of? I thought he was a muggle.** _

_Yes well, we know better now. Don't we. _

_**Yeah… I guess.** _

_Good. Now stop feeling and leave the thinking up to me. _

**_Ok…_ **

She sighed. She knew she needed to get back to patrolling the halls. She gave the moon one more glance and then preceded down the stairs.


	2. Me, Myself and My Jugdment

"You ok Hermione?" Hermione looked up in the green eyes of Harry Potter.

"What?"

"I said are you ok?" He looked slightly worried now. He had been asking her that same question ever since he and Kingsly had found her over the summer. She was about to give him a reassuring smile when Ron came into the Great Hall with Ginny. Her face changed instantly. She watched him as he made his way down the isle and sat down next to Harry.

"Morning." He mumbled as he dug in to the spread before them. Ginny and Hermione grimaced at him and then looked up when they heard the screeching of the owls.

"POST!" Seamus yelled. They watched as the usual owls made their drop off. Hedwig and Pig landed in front of their masters. Hermione waited as a brown screech owl flew towards her. She paid the owl and took the Prophet from it and was about to start reading when a small barn owl flew down in front of her. Ron, Harry and Ginny looked at her and then at the owl. She took the letter from the owl and then to her surprise, it flew to Dumbledore instead of out the window. She unfolded the letter and read,

_Dear Hermione,_

_How are you honey? We've missed you so much. I hope you're not causing too much trouble. Well the reason we decided to contact you is to tell you that the case lost. We're so sorry. Your father cursed up a storm when we found out. The hard part about it is that he is to be arriving at your school in ten days._

Hermione stopped and closed her eyes. _No. No. No NO! _She got up, picked up her bag and left the table without explanation. She needed to be alone to finish this letter. She ran out of the Hall and out to the lake and sat down by the tree.

_The Ministry informed us that it would be a better way to keep an eye on him. We asked how they could let him get a way with it and they told us that there wasn't enough evidence against him. Remus Lupin said that most likely it had something to do with the fact that we were muggles. What a horrible thing! We are so sorry and have written a letter to Dumbledore and have told him that he do what ever it takes to make sure it doesn't happen again. Remember, you have your friends to talk to, especially that one, Harry, seeing as he was there. Hermione, please owl us as soon as possible. I want to hear from you again._

_Love,_

_Mum and Dad._

Hermione couldn't breath. _He_ would be there. The one man that haunted her.

"NO!"

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"For the twenty- third time, yes _Ronald_. I am fine."

Hermione had been distant and irritable since she left the table at breakfast and Ron couldn't figure out why. He glanced at Harry, who was helping Ginny with her DADA essay, and in Ron's opinion, was way to close to her for his liking. Hermione was having a hard time concentrating and couldn't hold it any longer. She threw down her quill picked up the letter, which she had stuffed in to her Herbology book and turned to Harry.

"Harry, I need to talk to you." With that said she walked out of the common room. Ron turned towards Harry with a questioning look. Harry shrugged and followed her out. When he arrived she shoved the letter into his hands and waited while he read silently.

"Well."

"Oh Merlin."

"What am I going to do?"

"Just avoid him."

"Avoid him. AVOID HIM?" Her was voice raising several octaves.

"Hermione settle down." Harry said grabbing her shoulders and directing her towards an empty room and out of the hearing of the nosy paintings.

"How am I supposed to just avoid him? Tell me that Harry."

"I don't know."

"Oh no…"

"What?"

"What if he's in Gryffindor?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Why?"

"Because Dumbledore will take care of everything. And even if he is in Gryffindor it won't matter. Anyway, you have bigger things to worry about?"

"Like what?"

"Like where the others are. Your parents didn't mention them and Remus didn't say anything about them being captured." Hermione paled visibly and began to pace the room. Harry watched her for a while from his position on the desk and then a question popped into his mind.

"Have you told Ron yet?" Hermione stopped and looked at him, a scared look in her eye.

"I…well… I was… er… no…" Harry let out a frustrated sigh.

"_Hermione_."

"Well. Why should I?" Harry rolled his eyes. _He may be worse than her, but she's still stubborn._

"He deserves to know!"

"I can't"

"Ever since he got out of St. Mungos you've been distant with him. Why?"

"You know how he acts!"

"SO!"

"I… I don't want him to know… I…" Harry watched her for a while then asked the question that had been bothering him since the summer.

"Hermione…do you… do you love Ron?" Hermione spun around and stared at him, her eyes furrowed together and she regarded him closely. At first she looked indignant, then confused and finally acceptant. She looked away from him and looked out the window.

"If Ron knew what had happened to me, he'd probably end up in Azkaban for murder." Harry smiled.

"Ron has his problems."

"I wish I could have been there… I should have…"

"Hermione! Stop it! You knew you weren't capable of doing anything. You could hardly say anything, how could you have helped Ron. Besides, it wasn't as bad as it looked at first. The pieces of wood made it look worse." Hermione was silent for a while and then she turned and took his hand in hers and looked down at the clasped hands.

"Ginny deserves a man like you Harry." Harry went red instantly.

"What does Ginny have to do with this?"

"Everything. If Ron knew that you liked his sister, his arrival at Azkaban would probably come a lot faster than expected and I wouldn't be able to tell him what happened now would I," she told him winking cheekily. Harry paled. Hermione laughed, "Pull yourself together man! You're the boy who lived! If you can survive the wrath of Voldemort then you can survive the wrath of Ronald Weasley."

"Yeah right! Fighting Voldemort is one thing, fighting Ron is even scarier!" Hermione smiled and led them out of the classroom and back into the common room, feeling considerably better than when the letter had arrived. Before they arrived at the couches Hermione leaned into Harry and whispered, "Yes, I do love him." With that she sat back in her original spot, ignored Ginny's annoyed look and Ron's puzzled one and continued her essay.

* * *

The week had passed without much going on. Ron and Hermione bickered plenty of times, but other than that nothing happened. It wasn't until the Wednesday that Hermione's mood towards everyone, especially Ron changed for the worse. She became extremely irritable and very anxious.

"Ron _stop_ it."

"What?"

"_Stop_ it!" Ron turned to Harry with a disbelieving look on his face. All he was doing was chewing on his quill. Hermione did it all the time. In fact, that was what she was doing right now. _What is wrong with her?_ He shrugged his shoulders, and went back to his essay, but instead of chewing his quill, began to tap it on the inkbottle next to him.

"_Ron just stop it_," she snapped, glaring at her notes as if she were trying to burn a hole in it. Ron chose to ignore her.

"Ronald Weasley, what part of _stop it don't you understand!_" She hissed turning her glare onto him. Ron glared back.

"What the bloody hell is your problem!"

"ME!" They received angry glares from the librarian.

"Me." she hissed quietly, "What makes you think that I'm the one with the problem, you're the one who won't listen and _stop it_!" Harry tried to ignore the two but it was impossible when their volume began to climb again.

"You're impossible!"

"Oh really. I'm not the one who won't listen."

"Just because you're a bossy, controlling know it all doesn't mean I have to listen to you or obey you for that matter!"

"CONTROLLING!"

"Yes controlling. You think you can just tell me what to do and I'll just roll over like a dog and obey."

"Well at least a dog has better manners than you…" she muttered under her breath.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!"

"Nothing, except for the fact that you're an insufferable, inconsiderate, ill mannered PRAT!"

"A prat! A prat am I! You're the one who started this whole thing."

"Well we wouldn't be arguing if you weren't so thick!"

"No. This wouldn't have started if you weren't so controlling. Isn't she controlling Harry?" Harry's eyes grew larger as he gazed up at the two figures. By now they were both standing and glaring daggers at each other. Ron, of course, was towering over Hermione, his face blending perfectly with his hair making him an extremely scary sight to behold. Hermione made up for the height difference by her glaring. Her hair was all frizzled up and she looked close to smacking Ron right in the face.

"Er… I… well… um… you know what… I'm going to go and see if Neville needs help with Herbology."

"VERY FUNNY HARRY!" They both screamed, then turned on each other.

"MERLIN HERMIONE! What is your problem!"

"NOTHING!" With that she began to pack her things and started for the exit.

"Just going to run away are you!" Hermione was at the exit when she turned around.

"BITE ME!"

* * *

_Why did you do that?_

_**ME!**_

_Yes you! You're the one who always gets us in these positions._

_**Excuse me! I happen to like the guy! Why the hell would I be responsible for your bloody mistakes?**_

_Hey! I'm the brain of this operation. Excuse the pun._

_**Oh! A right bit of brainwork you did! Now he's mad at us! Just because Wellington is coming in two days doesn't mean you have to take it out on him.**_

_I'm sorry but he was getting on my nerves._

_**We were doing the exact same thing!**_

_You know what? This conversation is over!_

Hermione groaned. She had secluded herself to the confines of the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. It was a place where no one could see her and therefore couldn't find her. Ron hadn't been doing anything and she knew that snapping at him had only provoked him into an argument. She was about to take out the notes she had been analyzing when she heard something move in the bushes.

"Hello?" There was a small scream and the sound of something being dropped. Hermione took out her wand and entered the forest. She was about to give up her search when she heard someone scream again. She ran towards the sound and was about to call out to the person when she saw something. She walked toward it, and then she screamed.


	3. Speak of the Devil

"Hermione calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down Harry!"

"Ms. Granger, _please calm down._"

"NO! I will not calm down. I'm trapped in here and Hannah Abbot is lying DEAD out there!" She screeched, pointing towards the closed door, "You expect me to calm down! I don't want to be HERE!"

"MS. GRANGER!" There was a silence as Dumbledore entered his office. He sat down and observed Hermione behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Ms. Granger," he proceeded much more quietly, "I must ask you to calm down. I have just finished calming down Mrs. Abbot and am not in the mood to calm down a hysterical seventeen year old girl." Hermione stopped pacing.

"Sorry," she mumbled, taking a seat between Harry and Ron.

"Now. Can you please tell me what you saw before you saw Ms. Abbot."

"I didn't see anything before I saw Hannah! I told you that. All I heard was the rustling in the bushes and then I heard someone scream. I took out my wand and decided to investigate," she stopped and looked up at Dumbledore, "There's something in the Forbidden Forest, sir."

"I know…" Everyone looked at him. He looked around and then sighed, "Hagrid has informed me that the chickens have been disappearing and that the forest is much quieter than normal."

"What do you think it is?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. At first I decided to pass it of as not harmful, but after to day I will have to inform the students," he turned towards McGonagall, "Minerva, please inform the students that dinner will be held earlier today." She nodded and exited the office. Dumbledore then turned to the trio. "You two should escort Hermione to the Hospital wing." Ron and Harry nodded and then took Hermione's arm and led her out of the office. They were silent for most of the way until they reached the doors. Hermione turned and stared at both boys.

"You don't think that there are Death Eaters in the forest do you?" Ron looked puzzled but the thought had crossed Harry's mind the whole time Hermione spoke. They were quiet for a while and then Ron piped up.

"Death Eaters couldn't do that to a person." Harry and Hermione turned to him.

"What makes you so sure?" Hermione asked.

"Well, I mean, come on! You saw her more clearly than I did when Snape brought her in…" He looked at both of them, then rolled his eyes and opened the Infirmary doors and proceeded, "Am I the only one who paid attention when Hagrid told us about the differences between wand injuries and creature wounds…" he let out a sigh of frustration, Harry he could understand, but Hermione was the smartest girl in Hogwarts. He smirked. _I know something she doesn't know._ "Ok, look. Judging on the wounds I saw the thing that attacked her wasn't human. It looked almost like the scars Lupin has after the full moon."

"But there wasn't a full moon yesterday or today and besides, the attack was in the day time, I've never heard of a werewolf that can change in the day time if at all on its own will. That's impossible!" Hermione said as Madame Pomfrey started to examine her. Harry turned to the nurse.

"Madame Pomfrey… you know the difference between creature and wand inflicted wounds don't you?" he asked.

"Of course. I have to know!"

"You saw Hannah didn't you?"

"Mr. Potter what is the point of these questions!"

"Was it a creature?"

"Of course! It's obvious that a creature did that to her. No wand could have possibly made those types of injuries." With that said she dismissed the three and told them to head down to dinner. Right before they entered the Hall, Hermione turned around and faced Ron.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Screaming at you." She turned around and entered the Great Hall. Immediately, everyone went silent as they watched the trio, or rather Hermione walk down the isle and take her seat. As soon as they were seated, Dumbledore stood.

"I have no doubt, that Hannah Abbots death is known by everyone. I must warn you now. The Forbidden Forest is strictly off limits except for those of you who have classes there. Those of you who have and interest in danger and would like to find out what really lurks in the woods will be expelled," his facial expression and tone of voice showing that he was not messing around. "I warn you. When outside be on your guard and always have someone with you at all times. Anyone outside after curfew will be expelled. There is no tolerance for misbehavior." The Hall was silent for a while. "Good. Now let's eat." Immediately everyone started talking and looking around to see if they could catch a glimpse of a still pale Hermione Granger. Ginny reached across the table and took her hand.

"It'll be ok Hermione. Don't worry." Hermione nodded and began to pick at the food Ron had piled onto her plate. Dean was about to ask her if she was alright when the Great Hall doors opened and three cloaked figures, headed by McGonagall made there way to the teachers table. Students looked on as the professor set down a stool and took out the Sorting Hat. One of the cloaked figures stepped forward, while the other two stood rigid at their post.

"Wellington, Alex!"

_NOOOOOOO!_

* * *

"What do you mean you _know him?_" Ginny asked incredulously, stroking Crookshanks.

"I mean… well…" she rolled her eyes, "we used to date ok." Ron's eyes got huge.

"WHAT?"

"Be quiet Ron… We used to go out since the end of fifth year but this summer we called it quits, because of reasons I don't wish to tell."

"What, you didn't give enough?"

"Actually _Ron,_ yes. I wasn't willing to go all the way and so therefore we broke up." Harry glared at her. _Well, it's slightly the truth. I didn't want to go all the way._ Ron was about to say something when Alex Wellington walked in.

"Speak of the devil…" she muttered and was about to sneak up to the girls dormitories until she could make her way back to her own private room when she was spotted.

"Well, well, well, I never thought I would see you again." Hermione turned around, a look of the deepest loathing on her face.

"Well, well, well, I never thought I would see you out of Azkaban again… What'd you do? _Bribe the minister._"

"No, but your close." Ron and Ginny watched with confusion as Harry stood up and stepped in between the two.

"I suggest you go." Alex's eyes narrowed.

"_Potter,_" he sneered, "nice to see you again." Harry remained in his spot.

"Still the same asshole, aren't you." Alex smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. He turned to Hermione

"Yes well, I got to know than your ass didn't eye, Hermione." Her eyes go big and filled with tears.

"GO TO HELL!" With that she ran out of the common room. Harry shoved Alex into the mantel near the fireplace and chased after Hermione, Ron and Ginny following him.

* * *

"Hermione, please come out!" Ron called as Harry tried to open the door that Hermione had locked.

"Just leave me alone Ron!"

"Come on! Please!"

"GO AWAY!" She shrieked and something broke on the other side of the door.

"We'd better leave her alone. She means it." Ginny told them. As they exited the Heads Common room Ron turned to Harry.

"How do _you_ know Alex?" He asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. Harry gulped visibly.

"It's not my place to tell."

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean."

"It means, Ronald, to mind your own business!" Ginny snapped and entered the common room and went up to her dormitory. Harry gave Ron a hopeless shrug and went up to their room. Ron sat down in front of the fire and stayed there for a while.


	4. Don't Lie to Me

**Disclaimer: The original HP characters and settings don't belong to me. I just made up the plot. **

Ron was pacing. He didn't know why, he just was. He knew Ginny was worried about him as she sat there watching him wear out the rug. Harry was also there, though his face was much more passive.

_Why does she never let me in?_

Because she doesn't love you… 

_Oh you shut it! _

You've seen the way she is with Harry. The two are practically dating the way she hangs off of him. The way she runs to him…

_We asked Harry already. Remember this morning._

* * *

"_Harry…" Ron said hesitantly. Harry looked up from tying his shoes._

"_Yeah."_

"_What's…what's going on with…"_

"_Ron spit it out!"_

"_Issomethinggoingonbetweenyounmione." He muttered. Harry however had known Ron way to long and understood immediately what he had said._

"_What makes you think there is?" He asked quietly, waiting for the fire to burst beneath the always-simmering surface called Ron._

"_Oh come on! Seriously. You two have been owling each other since you arrived at the Burrow and she's always pulling you aside to talk to you, and she's always grabbing on to you whenever that Wellington bloke comes around!" Harry was surprised._

"_How did you know we were owling?" Ron rolled his eyes._

"_You're only allowed to use Hedwig to owl someone in the Order or Hermione or me. I'm not thick Harry." His eyes boring in to Harry._

"_Nothings going on between Hermione and I! Seriously," he added when he saw the look on Ron's face._

"_Really."_

"_Truly… I wouldn't lie to you would I…"_

"_No… I guess not…" Harry had felt completely guilty after the conversation and had purposely avoided the topic of Hermione for the rest of the morning._

* * *

_**He could have been lying.**_

_Why?_

_**I…don't know…**_

_Exactly…_

It was now noon and the three were waiting for Hermione to come down so they could go to the library. She had told them that she wanted to show them something. Ron was about to call up when she appeared. Gliding down the stairs, she pushed purposefully past them and walked out of the room. They all looked at each other and decided to follow. They were just passing the Great Hall when they heard a voice call out.

"My, my, for a Mudblood you sure do clean yourself up don't you."

"Piss of Malfoy." Ginny said, glaring at the loathsome Slytherin. Malfoy's eyes shifted from Hermione, who had stopped upon hearing his voice, to the youngest redhead. His eyes ran up and down her body approvingly and Ron and Harry took a step forward.

Malfoy smiled, "For a Weasel, you look almost good enough to shag." Ron lunged.

"RON NO!" Hermione placed herself in front of him and blocked his way to Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles in anticipation, their height adding further menace to their features.

"Don't do it. He'll just get you in trouble." Ron glared at Malfoy and turned and began to head down the corridor to the library.

"Oh, what, you going to listen to that shag toy!" Hermione turned around and stared at him, a look of horror on her face. Malfoy winked at her and turned and entered the Great Hall, shoving an unfortunate third year Hufflepuff out of the way. Hermione's gaze turned to Harry. He shook his head and grabbed Ron's other arm and dragged him down the hall.

* * *

"Hermione." 

"Hmm…"

"What is it that you're hiding from Ron?" Hermione looked up from her reading into the brown eyes of Ginny. She regarded her for a moment and then returned to the book.

"Nothing." Ginny rolled her eyes. _Lord give me strength. Dealing with a six stubborn ass brothers is hard enough. Don't give a woman who is in denial._

"Don't lie to me, Hermione Granger. Ron might let it slide because he believes you, but I'm a little more persistent." _Isn't that the truth._ She closed the book after marking the page and turned to Ginny.

"I'm not hiding anything." To her horror, Ginny produce a letter that looked a lot similar to the one that had informed her of Wellington's arrival.

"Where did you get that?" she asked quietly, snatching for the letter.

"It fell out of your Herbology note book this morning… Hermione, what happened this summer?" Hermione looked away.

"You have to promise me not to tell Ron."

"Why?"

"_Just do it._" She hissed. Ginny was taken back but nodded anyway. Hermione took a deep breath.

"I… I was…" she looked at Ginny with tears in her eyes. When Ginny tried to comfort her she pulled away, taking many deep breaths.

"Two weeks after I arrived back home this summer… I… I was raped Ginny…" The redhead gasped, sympathy and sadness rushing over her instantly.

"Oh Hermione…" She gathered her now sobbing friend into a hug and held her until she stopped shaking.

"I…oh Ginny, it was horrible… there were so many of them. They wouldn't stop! They kept coming to me. Using me… they took my wand and blinded me with a spell. They tied me up and just…" she continued to sob, "I probably would have been dead if Kingsly and Harry hadn't have found me." Ginny pulled away.

"Harry knew." Hermione nodded.

"Kingsly was supposed to pick him up and bring him to you guys but then I managed to send a Patronus for help. It must have reached him first. He arrived with Harry and they took me to St. Mungos." Then it hit Ginny.

"That's why you didn't come when Ron had the accident on the broom, that's why you were so distant with him! That's why you've been so secretive with Harry. That's why…" Suddenly she stopped. _How could I have been so stupid. Of course!_She grabbed Hermione's face in her hands. "It was Wellington wasn't it." The sobs came again. She was about to answer when Harry and Seamus burst into the common room. Both were pale.

"What happened to you?" a frightened fifth year girl asked.

"Everyone is to stay in their common rooms. Dumbledore's orders!" Seamus explained while Harry ran over to the girls.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked urgently. Harry caught his breath before answering.

"There's been an attack on four students and one of them is still missing."

"WHAT! It's not even dark outside yet."

"I know…" Ginny watched him as Hermione paled.

"Harry, where's Ron?" Harry looked at her, dread in his eyes.

"Ron's missing."

A/N: Don! Don! Don! Suspence! Well, I hope you enjoyed it. I was really surprised by the reads. Speacial thanks to:

connieewing- Well I hope you got back onto your seat... or fell of it from the shock. ;-)

cucu4cocopuffs- I hope I answered some of your questions. Don't worry, in the next chappie I'll put more of Wellington in it. This chapter was just for you, even though i had it before the reviews. I must have read your mind!

rivillie- Wish come true. Thanks for reviewing.

Heres a chapter tease:

_"I seem to remember you screaming out my name." She twitched slightly but kept her eyes on the book before her, though total focus on the words lost._

_"That wasn't out of pleasure, I assure you." A grin reached his features._

_"I'm just suprized that with all the loving we gave you, that you didn't end up with a little slut Jr. in there." The wood was at his face in an instant._

_"What do you want?" she asked dangerously._

_"Where's lover boy, redhead? The search was called off... what? Is he pushing up daisys?"_


	5. More Like a Snitch

**Disclaimer: Didn't copy, just put my two cents in.**

"Weasley was serving his detention with four other students. We weren't suspecting an attack like this. I don't know how it happened, but somehow they all ended up in the woods, screaming, crying and all of them bleeding."

"Where was Ron?"

"One of the students said that something grabbed him and dragged him into the bushes."

"Did they see what took him?"

"No."

"What do you mean NO!"

"Molly, calm down."

"No! I will not calm down. My seventeen-year-old son is out there in the _FORBIDDEN_ Forest, and all you can do is tell me to calm down Arthur!"

"Mrs. Weasley, please! We are doing the best we can. We already have four severely injured children in our care."

"Why are they still here?" Bill asked. The others turned toward Minerva for details.

"The children are not capable to be transported."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Fred and George chorused.

"It _means_, that their injuries are so severe and life threatening, that by the time we transport them they could die and apparation or flooing wouldn't work because it could cause some complications."

"Is anyone out looking for Ron?" Harry piped up from his place in the corner with Hermione.

"We have Aurors out looking but so far there isn't a trace."

"Nothing?"

"No. I'm so sorry Mr. Weasley." Minerva exited the Hall leaving the Weasley family and Harry and Hermione alone.

"What do you think happened to him?" asked an extremely frightened and pale Ginny. Arthur put an arm around his daughter.

"I don't know… I don't know…"

* * *

It had been a month. Halloween was now in four days and with it came the Masquerade Ball. This was Dumbledore's idea of lightening everyone's spirits, especially Ginny's. The rescue team had been called off two weeks ago after stating that nothing could be done for Ron. Harry, of course, had responded in anger. He had almost destroyed the Gryffindor common room when Ginny had managed to stop him by breaking down into uncontrollable sobs, begging him to stop. Hermione, on the other hand had just sat there and watched Harry, but she wasn't really there. Her heart was breaking and all she could concentrate on was the sound of it tearing. She was now sitting in the Great Hall,in front of ateriffied and paleLoren Conner, a friend of Hannah. 

"What was the last thing you remember of Hannah?" Hermione asked.

"Well, for the few days before… well you know, Hannah was acting a little strange. She said that there was something in Hogwarts that wasn't right. She told me that the there was something wrong with the bats also." Hermione stared at her.

"Something wrong with the bats..."

"Yeah. She said that they were like, much quieter than usual. She mentioned something about there being… a savior."

"A savior…"

"She never explained herself. She said she had to talk to you about something. She said she needed your help to find the information." Hermione paled.

"She was trying to find me."

"That's what she said. She said she had seen you storming out of the castle. She wanted to talk to you about it." She grabbed Loren's hand.

"Loren, did anyone over hear your conversation? Did anyone follow her outside?" Loren shook her head.

"No. I don't think so anyway. I mean, yeah, there were a few people around but that was it. No one close enough to have heard." Hermione glanced around and then leaned in closer.

"Why did you come to me? Why didn't you tell a teacher about this? Dumbledore about this." Loren turned paler than she already was and looked around nervously. She refused to make eye contact with Hermione.

"Ever since Hannah… left… I've had this strange feeling… like I'm being followed… I needed to tell you this because I knew Hannah trusted you with this information and needed you to help her find out what is wrong with Hogwarts." Hermione nodded. Loren was about to ask her about Ron, when Harry and Ginny ran in and stopped in front of the two pale girls.

"Hermione, look at this." Harry handed her a piece of parchment, which was scrawled in Ginny's messy writing.

_Darkness is coming_

_He who has risen _

_Shall take dominion _

_Over the haven of safeness_

_The night crawlers shall be revealed_

_And he who has hidden_

_Shall appear in the form of the lost_

_The one who has lived_

_And the one who has risen_

_Shall reach the end_

_The one whose hand _

_Was freely given_

_Shall reap what he has sown_

_By the hand of the one whose _

_Heart was feely given_

_The one who was lost_

_Shall find redemption_

_Darkness is coming_

"Where did you get this?" Ginny glanced at Harry.

"Harry was helping me return a crystal ball, Professor Trelawney had lent me. We heard her outside the door and Harry told me to write down what she was saying. Thought it would be important." Hermione glanced at Loren.

"I… I have to do some reading. I'll be in the common room if you need me." With that she stood and left the Hall. On the way back she replayed the prediction in her head. She always thought Trelawney was a fake, but occasionally, Harry had told her about the instances in which she made pretty accurate predictions. Her mind drifted to Ron, as she sat down in front of the fire.

"My, my… still looking beautiful." Hermione didn't look up.

"Still the same bastard of a stalker."

"My, you are feisty. That's what drew me to you in the first place."

"Really…" she drawled, still focusing on the Book of Legends before her. Wellington stared at her.

"You have grown…"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing… Just admiring what's on display." Hermione rolled her eyes in disgust but refused to turn around. He smiled maliciously and leaned in so that his lips were against her ear.

"I seem to remember you screaming out my name." She twitched slightly but kept her eyes on the book before her, though total focus on the words lost.

"That wasn't out of pleasure, I assure you." A grin reached his features.

"I'm just surprised that with all the loving we gave you, that you didn't end up with a little slut Jr. in there." The wood was at his face in an instant.

"What do you want?" she asked dangerously.

"Where's lover boy, redhead? The search was called off... what? Is he pushing up daisies?"

"Don't you dare talk about Ron."

"Why?"

"Because unlike you, I loved him. That's something you will never understand." The smile was gone. His face seemed to cloud with something Hermione thought close to jealousy and rage. How did she know this? She had seen the same expression pass over Ron's face every time someone mentioned Victor Krum.

"You forget your place."

"What's that?" He glared at her.

"You belong to me! You forget that I was your first and therefore that makes you mine." Hermione matched his look.

"I don't belong to anyone."

"You freaking whore! I own you. You know it as well as I do. I left my mark on you in more than just one place and sooner or later you'll realize that… and when you do," he smiled, "There'll be no one around to save you. Not even Saint Potter!" She gazed at him with wide eyes.

"Leave me alone!"

"Why? You afraid Harry or Ginny will find out! You never told them about the mark. The tattoo…" Her hand drifted to the back of her neck, and her eyes widened. "Now you remember, though you don't know what it means. You'll find out soon. Very soon…" He smirked and left her alone. She ran to the window and opened it, gasping for the air that had eluded her since he had approached her. Tears streamed down her face.

"Ron… I need you… where are you?"

* * *

"Pick a color." 

"Red."

"Favorite earth color."

"Brown."

"Tall or short."

"What?"

"Just answer."

"I don't know… short."

"Curly or straight?"

"Straight."

"Feisty or calm." He smiled.

"Feisty."

"Fast or slow."

"Fast."

"Seeker or Chaser?"

"Chaser."

"Chaser?"

"Well since I'm a Seeker, might as well go for the Chaser. I seek, they chase. Sometimes I feel like girls are chasers."

"No Harry. You've got it all wrong. You're more like a Snitch. Girls are the seekers. Their constantly chasing you for your affection… for your love… and not one Seeker has caught you yet, or even comes close, from the looks of things."

"How would you know?"

"I know you Harry… you're the man who has to do the right thing." Harry stopped and leaned against the wall and looked at her.

"The world needs a hero." She looked at him, concern and disappointment in her eyes. She stepped up to him and took his face in her hands and looked into his beautiful eyes and whispered softly to him.

"Being a hero doesn't mean you have to give up everything." He took her hands.

"The hero has to protect the ones he loves. Keep them from getting hurt."

"Emotional scars rundeeper than physical, Harry." He looked away from her.

"It's ok to love, Harry. I think it's the only thing that keeps us human… Harry look at me," she turned his face toward her and placed her cheek against his so that she could whisper into his ear, "I'm not afraid of death." He pulled away and looked at her, from her beautiful eyes to the pink full lips, and then back to her eyes, which were filled with determination. Before he knew what had happened, her lips were pressed against his. His brain totally stopped functioning. As the kiss deepened, Harry wrapped his arms around her and brought her closer. He pulled away and looked at her. Though she was staring at him, her eyes were glazed. He smiled at her and she smiled back. She was about to pull him closer when he stopped her.

"Will you go to the Ball with me?" She looked surprised and then guilty.

"No…"

"Why?" he asked, slightly hurt.

"Hermione."

"What about Hermione?"

"You should go with her."

"Why?"

"Because, if we go together, she'll feel left out and with Ron gone it'll hurt more. She needs you more than I do right now." Harry nodded his head.

"Ok. I'll talk to her tomorrow, but who will you go with?"

"Colin."

"Creevy."

"Yes. He asked me this morning at class and I said I would think about it."

"_Fine._ But until then… I'll have my fun…"

"Harry!" She said, hiding a small smile.

"What?" He said as he dove for her neck and began to nip at it. She smiled and moaned at the same time.

A/N: Hope you liked it. I know some people were on the floor, with eagerness. jk. anyway. I think that after my next chappie you won't be hearing from me for a while. I will be moving and therefore will not have acsess to a computer for a couple of weeks. Stay tuned.

Chapter Tease:

_"You're hurt." Hermione whispered._

"_It's to late for me... just remember what I told you...remember what Trelawney said..."_

"_But..." Harry started._

_"No buts.. Harry, you have a choice to make. Remember, the cloaked figure is not evil, no matter what it does."__Suddenly she screamed,started gasping and bent over. When she looked up Ginny screamed. Her eyes were completely sunken in, black and bulging. Her skull was pulled back, making her bones show even more._

"_He's coming..." Harry doubled over in pain. She looked at him, pointing at the screaming scar on his head. "They're here..." Then she collapsed... dead._


	6. All Hallow's Eve

**Disclaimer: JK created, I adapted.**

It didn't take Hermione long the next morning to figure out as to why Harry would propose that they go to the Ball together. Unfortunately, the reason caused her to cry.

"Hermione. Look, I'm sorry, it was a crazy idea…" She smiled slightly through her tears, knowing she was attracting a whole lot of attention that Harry Potter didn't want.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I… just miss him so much and I…" she looked at him, "Thank you, you too Ginny…" Ginny looked away from her conversation with Seamus.

"For what?"

"For taking the time to think of me, even when you were snogging Harry." Ginny's eyes widened.

"How…"

"It doesn't take words for me to figure it out. You two were smiling like idiots when you came down the stairs. Besides, you forget who you're dealing with." Harry smiled.

"Will you?" She looked at him.

"I have no one else to go with…"

* * *

"It's been two days and I still can't figure that stupid poem out!" 

"Hermione! Calm down!" She turned towards him.

"The only thing I've figured out was you and Voldemort."

"What?" She rolled her eyes. _He's just like Ron_.

"Seriously, Harry. It's quite obvious. _The one who has lived, and the one who has risen, shall reach the end._ It obviously means that you and Voldemort have to battle."

"I already know that."

"It also talks about Peter Pettigrew."

"Really?"

"Yeah, right here. _The one whose hand, was freely given, shall reap what he has sown. By the hand of the one, whose heart was freely given._ You told me in fourth year that Pettigrew gave his own hand freely, so that Voldemort could rise again."

"Yeah, but whose the one whose heart was freely given?"

"I don't know. I don't know…"

"So let me get this straight. Voldemort is going to take over Hogwarts."

"_Haven of safeness._ Yes."

"He's going to have something to back him up."

"Well, I don't know, but I'm guessing that the night crawlers, what ever they are, are with him."

"After, some creature is going to come out of the Forbidden Forrest, in the form of something or someone lost."

"Yes."

"Me and Voldemort are going to fight to the end."

"Voldemort and I, Harry." Now it was Harry's turn to roll his eyes. _We're talking about my death sentence and all she can do is correct my grammar. Some things never change._

"Sorry. Wormtail's going to snuff it and what ever that creature is, it's going to find redemption."

"Pretty much."

"That sounds wonderful. I have to wait here like a freaking vulnerable baby, and wait till Voldemort attacks!"

"Harry! Please." She grabbed his hands and sat herself on the table in front of the couch he was currently sitting on. "Harry, I believe that you can do this. Remember the curses and counter curses Lupin taught us. Remember the Unforgivable. Please…" He looked up at her, into her frightened eyes, and he realized something terrible. If he died, Hermione would be alone. She was begging him not to die. He grabbed her and pulled her into a fierce hug.

"I'm not going anywhere… I promise you," he whispered. She began to shake and he knew she was crying. He pulled her onto the couch and let her cry, and while she cried, he let a few tears shed himself.

_For Ron…_

_For the Weasleys…_

_For Hogwarts…_

_For the Wizarding world…_

_And for their own pain…_

* * *

"Have you seen Wellington?" 

"No, why?"

"I haven't seen him since Trelawney made that prediction and it's bothering me. I would like to have a nice evening and the Halloween Ball and know where the man who raped me is at the same time."

"Hermione, it'll be ok."

"Fine. Who did you say you were going with to the ball? Seeing as I took your man."

"Har, Har… Seamus asked me."

"_Seamus_. Harry actually allowed you to go to the Ball with Seamus Finnegan."

"He's not as bad as people make him out to be."

"Yeah well. I'm just surprised. That's all." She straightened the headdress to her outfit and turned to a rather fearsome looking Ginny.

"Do I look like a Siren?" Ginny nodded.

"How about me?"

"You're the scariest jungle girl I've ever seen."

"Great! Let's go." They exited the dormitories and walked down the stairs with some other girls to the boys, who were waiting anxiously at the bottom. Harry stared.

"Wow, Hermione. You look… beautiful." She blushed and took his out stretched hand and allowed him to lead her into the decorated Great Hall. There were small, carved pumpkins floating around, while large cobwebs with large spiders clung to the walls. There was an old organ in the back, playing itself.

"Very…festive." Hermione smiled.

"You look very nice, with that blood dripping from your mouth."

"Vampires… it was hard to get the spell right."

"You pulled it off." They sat down at a table and watched as Neville led Luna over.

"Hey, Neville. Luna." They said hi and sat down across from the two best friends.

"I was hoping to see you Harry. A girl, a Hufflepuff I think said she wanted me to give this to you." Luna passed Harry a piece of parchment. Hermione leaned towards Harry to get a look at what it said.

_Tonight is the Night_

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Hermione stared at it and then got up.

"Harry, will you dance with me?" Harry shrugged, confused and got up and led her to the other couples. He pulled her close and she leaned her head against his chest.

"It's Loren."

"Hannah's friend."

"Yes. I think she's talking about the poem."

"You thought Trelawney was a fake."

"That's not the point Harry," she stressed, "We have to be on our guard. I've been thinking. Today is Halloween."

"So."

"Remember our first year at Hogwarts."

"Of course. Todaywas the day we all became…friends."

"Exactly."

"Voldemort's entered this castle before. Who says he can't do it again?"

"How could he?" Hermione glanced around the Hall, at the couples, the teachers, and out the windows.

"I don't know Harry… I…wait… I have an idea…" She pulled away from him. "I have to get to the library. Get Ginny and meet me at the Room of Requirements in ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?"

"Yeah." She hurried out of the Hall and snuck her way to the library. After finding what she was looking for she headed for the Room of Requirements.

"Neville! Luna! Harry!"

"I thought we'd need back up, just in case." Hermione sighed and was about to tell Harry to send them back when she heard her name being called. She squinted into the darkness and gasped.

"Loren! What are you doing here?"

"Please. I don't have much time! You need to know. Hogwarts isn't safe anymore. Harry, you need to get out of here! None of you return to the Great Hall no matter what you hear, especially you Harry. He's going to try to lure you. Don't go for it!" They were all panicking now. Hermione grabbed her by the arms.

"Who? Who's trying to lure Harry?" Loren gasped and pulled away from Hermione. Hermione was about to ask again when she felt something warm and sticky on her hands. She lit her wand and examined it and gasped.

"You're hurt." Hermione whispered.

"It's to late for me... just remember what I told you...remember what Trelawney said..."

"But..." Harry started.

"No buts.. Harry, you have a choice to make. Remember, the cloaked figure is not evil, no matter what it does." Suddenly she screamed, started gasping and bent over. When she looked up Ginny screamed. Her eyes were completely sunken in, black and bulging. Her skull was pulled back, making her bones show even more.

"He's coming..." Harry doubled over in pain. She looked at him, pointing at the screaming scar on his head. "They're here..." Then she collapsed... dead.

"Oh Merlin! Is… is she…" Ginny stuttered. Neville bent down to feel her pulse and looked up and shook his head. Ginny screamed again then turned to Harry. He was still on the ground, gasping.

"He… He's here… Voldemort."

* * *

"Where is the boy?" 

"He must have been with Weasley, my Lord." A death eater said.

"Don't suck up to me! Potter belongs to me. Understand. ME!"

"Don't worry, Tom. He will be found, along with whoever is with him."

"You better hope your people find him, or the deal is off and I'll kill the Mudblood."

"Don't worry. Once I find Granger… and start the process, Potter wouldn't be able to help himself. He's lost one friend, he wouldn't stand by and listen to another one die."

"Ahh… but what was lost is found… thought, what was found doesn't know it's rightful purpose. Lucky for you, Wellington, is it not." The man hissed at Voldemort and then moved away as a tall hooded figure walked up beside Voldemort. The only thing seen from the figure was a large hairy claw, extremely sharp. Voldemort reached out and stroked the head of the silent thing.

"Lucky for you, I have patience and many students now at my disposal to keep me entertained. I won't sick him on you… yet." Wellington hissed and then gave orders to the winged creatures that served him.

"Find the girl!"

A/N: I hope you like it. I was very interesting to write and I hope even more interesting to read. Special thanks to my reviewers. Love ya! Oh and don't forget to R/R!


	7. Day of the Dead

Screams could be heard everywhere. Harry led the way outside, after they realized that Hogwarts was where Voldemort was. They were just near the one-eyed witch, when something came screeching down the hall. Hermione was in back and the first one to notice what it was.

"Vampires! Run!" Hermione turned around when something grabbed her arm.

"_Going somewhere… My master has been expecting you…_" the man whispered in her ear, his fangs grazing her skin and making it crawl.

"Hermione!" Harry screamed.

"Harry go! Don't worry… I'll be fine!"

"Hermione no!" Ginny and Luna began to tug on his arm.

"Remember what Loren said. There will be a time to fight. You need to get out of Hogwarts!" Harry shook his head as he backed up into the hole. One of the vampires, a tall female, started for Harry.

"_Stop him! He's getting away!"_ The male who had hold of Hermione shrugged and shrieked out a loud cackling laugh.

"_Master said to get the girl. Let Voldemort's death eaters deal with the Boy Who Lived."_

* * *

"Remus!" 

"Harry? Ginny, Neville, Ms. Lovegood. What are you guys doing in Hogsmeade and where is Hermione?"

"Voldemort attacked Hogwarts and we managed to escape. As for Hermione, Vampires took her."

"Vampires!" They all turned towards Mad Eye Moody and Dumbledore.

"Dumbledore!" they exclaimed in unison. The old man nodded wearily.

"Yes, yes. But I'm afraid proper greetings are for later. Voldemort has taken hold of Hogwarts, more concentration, though, has been put on the Great Hall. Reasons, we don't know."

"Hermione! Their taking her to the Great Hall. They must be."

"But why?" Remus beckoned over someone.

"I believe Bill can explain what's going on."

"Well. Look Harry, Hermione's not exactly in the best of circumstances. Voldemort's going to use her to get to you."

"How?"

"Through Wellington. I've done some research and found out that this is the Year of the Vampires."

"So."

"Think about it Harry. Hermione gets raped. Then this guy follows her to Hogwarts. An obsession only triggered by want of something. This guy, Wellington, is the King of the Vampires Harry. He's going to make Hermione his queen."

"WHAT? But… how is that going to lure me?"

"The process. The process takes hours, and isn't pleasant to see, or hear."

"Hear?"

"Unfortunatly, Voldemort and Wellington know Hermione is close to you. Her screams are going to be heard wherever you are. Everyone will hear her." Harry blanched. _No! I promised I would keep her safe. Dammit!_

"What's the plan?"

* * *

"Well then… look at what we have here." _That voice sounded familiar._

"Wake her up!" Hermione was poked in the side and she jerked into full consciousness. She found herself staring into the red eyes of the man that scared her most.

"Oh no…"

"Oh no is right. Personally, Wellington, I would never have chosen a Mudblood, but, then again, you're not me." Wellington came in to sight and she glared at him, muttering profanities under her breath.

"Well, you know, I've always had a thing for feisty woman." Voldemort turned around and walked toward the entrance of the Great Hall. She now realized where she was. She was tied, standing up, on the teachers table and she noted that about quarter of Hogwarts was in front of her, cowering from the death eaters. She held down the bile that threatened to come up her throat when she saw the dead bodies littering the floor and how death eaters and vampires alike stepped on them as if they were bloody trash, scattering the floor.

"Wellington! Don't waste my time. I want Potter and the only way I'm going to get him is through that littlebitch over there. Now get going! Malfoy! Goyle! Get your men and come with me. The rest of you stay here until I send word." With that he left the Hall. Hermione watched as Wellington approached her.

"You're an obssesedfucking asshole you know that."

"Well, you know what? That doesn't matter and _now_. You're going to find out the meaning of real pain." His eyes began to glow and suddenly excruciating pain fell upon her. It felt worse than daggers. Like being consumed by fire. She screamed for the help that she knew would never come. She felt something warm run down her back.

"Would you like to know what happened to that tattoo I gave you this summer?" he asked sadistically. He pulled out a mirror. "Something nice about mirrors and vampires. You never have to worry about what you look like when you kill someone! _Mirramosa!_" The image of her back came into view and this time the bile did come up. Her back was bleeding and pulled up. The skin looked burnt as the blood flowed freely from the patterns the tattoo had made. Her throat shrieked and her stomach burned as she willed herself to pass out.

_Just let me go…_

_Leave me here to die…_

_Death would be better than this pain… Torture…_

_Let me die…_

* * *

"Voldemort! I'm here!" Harry called out, trying hard to ignore the tormented screaming of his best friend. 

"Ahh… Harry… I see you brought some friends with you. I brought some people of my own." The Hogwarts steps filled with death eaters. "I hope you told your friends you loved them before you saw them die. Oh… I forgot… I'd like you to meet someone… Wellington and his little group don't exactly approve of him, but I think he'll be very useful. Don't you?" Voldemort stepped aside as a shadowy figure revealed itself. The only thing visible on the figure was a large hairy, claw. Harry could hear it breathing.

"This is the end Tom!"

"Not for me… but for you… ATTACK!" Both armies surged forward while Harry and Voldemort moved off to the side. The figure stood there for a minute then screeched, pulled of the cloak and caused several people to scream.

* * *

"Ginny!" Neville called. Ginny turned around just in time to kill the death eater. "Ginny! We need to get inside and get Hermione!" She nodded and led the way towards the entrance to Hogwarts. Once they managed to gain entrance Luna blanched. All over the entrance were dead bodies. They were pale and the only way of showing the reason for death was the two rather small puncture wounds on their exposed necks. They could hear Hermione's screams coming from behind the closed doors and knew what else was behind there with her.

* * *

"One more hour! One more hour, Hermione, before you become my queen." Hermione continued to scream. Technically, by the pain she felt, she should be dead, but she knew he was keeping her alive. Making her suffer. She wanted nothing more than to stop screaming, to pass out or die, but the pain was too unbearable. One of Wellington's vampires approached him. 

"_Sire, there is so much fresh blood and your servants are hungry."_

"So?"

"_Sire please! We are lusting for food, outside or hear. Young blood, fresh blood."_ Wellington turned around and snarled, bearing sharp fangs and red eyes. The vampires shrunk back shrieking in fear.

"Don't talk to me of blood! If you want some, go out and fight with those death eaters! Or if you are good, I will let you take one from… what the hell are you doing here!" A small man was lurking around the entrance…_Wormtail?_ He shrunk back into the shadows but was to late. To females swooped down and grabbed him and forced him up to the platform where Hermione and Wellington stood.

"I… w-was just… checking u-u-up on t-th-things." He squeaked. Wellington growled.

"No one from Voldemort's group was supposed to be hear once the alarm sounded! Fool! Get out of my sight!" He flung Wormtail across the room and watched as he scrambled out of the Great Hall. Wellington was about to turn back to the suffering brunette when he saw a flash of green light emit from the doors. Suddenly the doors slammed open and Neville, Ginny and Luna entered the Hall.

"GET THEM!"

* * *

The creature was on a rampage! It hacked and sliced its way through students, teachers and others who got in its way. It was at least two feet taller than anything else. It had hair everywhere, and moved in cat like motions. When Harry first saw it he almost mistook it for a hairy werewolf until he saw the face. It had cat like slits for eyes, the pupils, though glazed slightly, were cat like also. When it sounded though, it sounded like a large screech owl. 

"_Avada Kadavra!_ What's wrong Potter? Stay still so that I can kill you slowly!" He cast a spell that caused Harry's glasses to explode.

"ARGH!" He cried out in pain. The glass had pierced his right eye and now there was more blood dripping down his face. He knew he was losing.

"_Reducto Momentum!_"

"_Crucio!"_

"_Impedimenta!"_

"_Revesco!"_

"_Avada Kadavra!"_

"Avada Kadavra!" 

Suddenly a roar sounded. The creature turned towards Hogwarts and thundered in. Voldemort smiled.

"That son of a bitch is about to find out what happens when you try to tame a wild animal!"

* * *

"Luna duck!" Luna dived under one of the tables where some of the students were cowering. Suddenly the vampires began to scream. The creature from outside came bounding into sight to find Ginny lying limp on the floor. The thing screeched out a blood curdling cry and charged for Wellington. He screamed out orders, which the vampires didn't follow, then changed into his true form. A large winged beast faced of with the creature from hell. **(Have any of you seen Van Helsing. Wellington now looks like the vampire from that movie. The creature also looks like Van Helsing when changed, except of course a lot more cat like.)** They bit, scratched and clawed each other and blood flew everywhere. They then tumbled out the broken window and the last heard was both their screeching, which faded into the night. Suddenly lightening struck and rain started to fall. Neville ran up to Hermione while Luna tried to make her way to Ginny through the chaotic mass of confused vampires. Hermione had stopped screaming a few minutes after the two creatures had made their exit. Neville untied her and held her. 

"Oh Hermione." Her face was deadly pale and her mouth was producing blood from all the screaming. He now realized that he was sitting in tons of blood. Her blood. It was now dripping down from the platform into the area in which the surviving students were.

"Neville! Ginny's alive!"

"So is Hermione… for now… We need to get her to a Healer!" Luna nodded; helped up Ginny and made their way outside but not before something scary happened. The vampires began to screech even louder, flew and broke their way through the ceiling of the Great Hall and began to fly higher, in a circular pattern. They ran outside, Neville carrying an unconscious Hermione. As the vampires circled above Harry did his best to stay alive. He was a mess. Blood was all over his tiring body.

"Tired Harry… Let me help you! _Avada Kadavra!"_

"_Avada Kadavra!"_ The green lights hit each other and stopped the fighting. Everyone watched as a white mist grew over the two fighters.

"HARRY!"

**_BOOM! BOOM!_** Explosion after explosion came from the mist and everyone fell, protecting him or herself from the debris.

"HARRY!" Ginny screamed again. The dust began to clear and everyone watched as two bodies fell to the floor.

"VOLDEMORT'S DEAD!" a death eater screamed, sounding strangely like Malfoy. Suddenly death eaters were making a run for the gates. Some got away, but others were either killed or captured by Aurors or Order members. Ginny made her way towards the bodies where Remus and Arthur Weasley were standing. Arthur kneeled down and placed his head against Harry's chest.

"Dad… is he…" Arthur stood up.

"HARRY POTTER'S ALIVE!"

A/N: Hope you enjoy. This will be my last chappie for a while so I hope you're satisfied. Special thanks to:

simply-sirius: Thank you for reading. Please, don't worry about Ron...well... maybe you should worry about him...:-) As for your creature problem... there you go...

connieewing: Like I said to simply-sirius. Ron is... well... I don't want to give to many details on Ron. But don't worry. Hermione still loves him.

hahaha: As for you... what the hell are you talking about?

Chapter Tease:

_"Don't..."_

_"Don't what..."_

"_Don't leave me hear alone..."_

_"I have to..."_

_"Why?"_

_"You broke my heart..."_

_"How?"_

_"You slept with Harry..."_

_A/N: Ahh...young love... R/R!_


	8. Demons and Guardians Can be the Same

"Ms. Granger… Ms. Granger…"

_No… leave me here…_

"She's starting to convulse. Pass me that potion, Severus."

_It burns… stop…_

"Will she be ok, Poppy?"

"Hard to tell, Dumbledore. The odds are certainly against her."

_Then let me die…Let me see the light…Take me to the light…_

"Hold her still! She's having a seizure!"

* * *

"_Ron? Is that you…"_

"_Yes…"_

"_Oh Ron… I'm so afraid…"_

"_I can't help you with that."_

"_Where are we?"_

"_In the world of neither the living nor the dead…"_

"_Am I dying Ron?"_

"_I don't know…"_

"_I wish I could… It would be better than the pain I feel…"_

"_I can't help you to die…"_

"_Where are you going?"_

"_Away…"_

_"Don't..."_

_"Don't what..."_

_"Don't leave me hear alone..."_

_"I have to..."_

_"Why?"_

_"You broke my heart..."_

_"How?"_

_"You slept with Harry..." _

She woke up violently, screaming for Ron to come back. She looked around and realized it was a dream.

"Ms. Granger!" Madame Pomfrey hurried over with a tray. Hermione retched and notice that blood was covering her front. _I must have been moving a lot._

"Here… drink this… bad dream huh?" Hermione nodded and gulped down the sweet tasting drink.

"That'll help you sleep."

* * *

When she woke up the next morning and looked around. The hospital wing, as she was told later on, was the only thing, besides the kitchens, left completely standing after Voldemort fell. She looked around and saw that the bed next to her had its curtains drawn, but she heard two people arguing from the inside. 

"I want to see her for myself!"

"Well you can't. I was put in charge of you two and any extra strain on any of you could cause greater injury, especially for you."

"I don't care! Bloody hell, let me see her!" She wanted to know who it was. The voice sounded familiar but then again, she had been detached from the world and thrown into hell itself, anything sounded familiar.

"I won't rest until I know she's safe!"

"Fine." Madame Pomfrey stepped out from behind the curtains and removed them from her line of sight.

"HERMIONE!" She grinned and watched as Harry Potter painstakingly stood up from his bed, much to the protest of Pomfrey and stumbled over towards Hermione and grabbed her into a bear hug. They both started to cry. Hermione scooted over so that Harry could sit next to her and hold her properly. She pulled away and she took his face in her hands.

"You're here."

"Yeah!" She smiled even wider.

"You saved us!" He grinned.

"You save me!" Tears flowed down her face.

"Don't you ever do that again! Promise?" Harry laughed, something Hermione hadn't heard in a long time.

"I promise." Madame Pomfrey smiled.

"Well if you two are finished, I'd like to redress Ms. Grangers wounds." Harry moved back to his bed. Pomfrey removed Hermione's shirt and undid the bandages. Harry gasped.

"Hermione!" Her exposed back was facing him.

"You should have seen it before," she then addressed the nurse, "How long have we been here?"

"Two weeks."

"We've been unconscious for two weeks?"

"Yes Mr. Potter." She finished her work on Hermione, gave her back her shirt and walked off to other patients. Just as Harry was about to get up and examine Hermione himself, to make sure she really was all right, the Infirmary door opened and Remus, Dumbledore and Hagrid came in. Both students smiled.

"Hey!" they chorused. Hagrid was the first to get to them.

"'Ow are ye?"

"We're fine Hagrid. Trust me."

"Good. Good. Gave us a right scare yew did, 'Arry." Dumbledore and Remus came.

"Nice to see you two smiling again. I'm sure you two are up for some breakfast by the lake, seeing as the Great Hall is no longer any use." Both students nodded and were helped out to the lake. Many students were out there, playing or talking, but the moment Harry stepped outside with Hermione next to him, they began to cheer and crowd around.

"Way to go Harry!"

"Thank you Harry!"

"You're a hero now!"

"Always believed in you Harry!" Dumbledore shoed them away and led the two to a quiet area.

"Where are Neville, Luna and Ginny?" Harry's head popped up instantly worry in his eye for the girl he loved. Remus smiled and pointed towards Hagrid's hut. It was easy to spot Neville and Luna among the sea of red.

"Who's that with them?" Harry asked, pointing out the hooded figure standing in the midst of the Weasleys. Remus answered.

"Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough." Harry shuddered.

"Looks like that creature from the battle." Hermione shivered also.

"That thing fell out one of the Great hall windows, along with Wellington. Speaking of him. What happened to the vampires?" Hagrid shook his head gravely.

"Don't nobody know. The cheeky little blighters disappeared after Malfoy announced that You-Know-Who died." Hermione shuddered.

"Don't worry, Hermione," Remus assured her, "They're not about to show up, if they're alive." Hermione nodded and joined them in the spread fixed before them.

"HARRY!" someone squealed. Harry got up to look around when his vision was obscured by red.

"GINNY!" He laughed and he swirled her around then kissed her in front of the four still eating. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Get a room!"

"Don't mind if we do." Harry began to tug Ginny towards the desecrated castle.

"Oy! Potter! Where you going with our sister?" The twins asked as they reached the area. Hermione brightened up and slowly picked herself up, and waited till the two redheads arrived at her. She threw her arms around them and squeezed tightly.

"We missed you too, Hermione." They voiced, sincerely, "But, we think there's someone you ought to meet." Hermione let them go and joined Harry, at where he stood. The hooded figure was still a ways away, when it let down its hood and looked around after coming out of the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. Hermione and Harry gasped.

"RON!"

* * *

"Stop it!" 

"Why?"

"Because _it tickles!_" she squealed as he dug his fingers into her side.

"Then say it!"

"No!"

"Say you missed me!"

"No!"

"Why?"

"Because I have more than that to tell you!" He moved away and let her breath. They were in the hotel section of the Three Broomsticks. Hogwarts students had been moved to Hogsmeade until their parents could pick them up. In Harry, Hermione and Ron's cases, until the Weasley's were finished with business at Hogwarts and the Ministry. Harry and Ginny were nowhere to be found and Ron was pestering Hermione in the room he, Harry and Neville shared. Hermione propped herself up on her elbows, her eyes trying to comprehend something.

"It was you wasn't it…" Ron looked at her.

"What are you talking about?"

"That creature." Ron stared for a minute that lay down on his back.

"Yes. It was me."

"What happened- "

"Can we talk about something else right now?" He interrupted. She turned onto one elbow and looked down at him. She brushed his hair out of his deep, artic ice blue eyes. His hair had grown much longer over the weeks he had been gone and was now almost as long as Bill's.

"I missed you," he whispered. She smiled. She leaned down, kissed him on the head and was about to leave the room when he grabbed her and pulled her down, straight on top of him.

"_Ron_," She scolded. He smiled.

"You're not going anywhere until tell me what I want to hear."

"You know I missed you."

"Tell me what I want to hear and I'll think about letting you go." She rolled her eyes. _Why is he so stubborn?_

_**That's what we fell in love with.**_

_Yeah well…_

She tried to get up.

"Tell me!" She sighed.

"I missed you, now let me go!" Ron shook his head.

"That's not what I meant." She looked at him strangely. She leaned in so that her lips were close to his ear.

"I… I love you…" His grip on her waist tightened as she pulled away to gauge his reaction. He was smiling.

"Good. I love you too." He pulled her close and her lips crashed onto his. She ran her hands through his hair as he deepened the kiss. He slid his tongue across her lower lip, begging for entry, which she granted. The one thing that surprised her was that he was still very gentle with her. His hands began to move up and down her back, tracing the raised gashes on her. She pulled away for air, making sure that she wasn't dreaming. Ron twisted around so that he was on top, straddling her. He leaned in and began to kiss her up and down her neck, which had become her sensitive spot. She moaned and begged him to continue but he pulled away.

"We shouldn't."

"Why?"

"You're injured and I don't want to hurt you." She looked at him then nodded.

"Besides, we have plenty of time later to… _get to know each other_," he added with a smirk. Her eyes grew and she smacked him in the face with a pillow.

"Horny bastard!" He smiled and ran out of the room with a laughing Hermione following him.

A/N: Hope you like it. Don't worry. This is not my last chappie. I hope to get reviews and give a special thanks to my reviewers. R/R. Won't be able to update for a while so stay tuned!


	9. Don't Forget to Remember Me

**Disclaimer: The 7th book better be good JK or I will start copying your work...jk, but really, it better be good! oh yeah, its all hers nothing is mine just read!**

"Mr. Weasley, you have to relax."

"Relax?"

"Yes."

"Ok."

"Now...can you tell me what happened to you?"

"It's in me."

"Excuse me."

"It's in me. The thing that attacked me is in me." There was a long silence.

"What attacked you Ronald?"

"I don't know what you call it, just that it hated vampires and it was trying to protect itself."

"How do you know it's in you?"

"Because I can feel it. I can feel its feelings and instincts coursing through me."

"You were with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"We didn't know who to trust."

"_We?_"

"Yes we. Why?"

"Nothing. But then you turned on the vampires."

"I heard Ginny scream."

"You heard your sister scream but you didn't hear your best friend screeching." Ron stood up sharply, glaring daggers at Snape. Bill and Charlie stood up, ready to apprehend their brother, but were stopped by McGonagall.

"Sit down, Ron." Dumbledore commanded.

"I couldn't hear her."

"Strange, since we could hear her, even in Hogsmeade." Ron snarled at him, bearing long, sharp, fangs. Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George stepped back, terrified. Hermione couldn't take her eyes of him. This was the same young man that she had been snogging two hours ago, now he looked like a monster.

"Severus please," Dumbledore said, he then turned to Ron. "Ron, can you tell me what that creature wants now."

"_Blood. Deatheaters blood..."

* * *

_

"Dumbledore, the boy has to go!"

"I will not allow his parents to go through that again."

"You know just as well as I do that the boy is dangerous! The lawsays-"

"I know what the law says!" Dumbledore interupted. Cornelius stared at him then continued.

"Then you know what I have to do. You can't protect him. Hogwarts is gone, and keeping him in Hogsmeade is a security risk." Dumbledore sighed, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

"I know... I know..."

* * *

"AZKABAN!" Harry roared, "They're sending him to bloody AZKABAN!" 

"WHAT!" Bill asked. They were all sitting in the Three Broomsticks when Harry came down and told them what he had heard. Luckily, Ron had been sent back to Hogs Head to cool down.

"They have to send him to Azkaban," Harry explained.

"Why? He's not dangerous!" Ginny said. Hermione spoke up over the uproar.

"It doesn't matter." Everyone turned to her.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Fred asked.

"I mean it doesn't matter if he's not dangerous. The creature that now has Ron, killed people, and almost killed Ron. Ron is now a Class 9 magical creature, which means he has absolutely no control over himself. You heard what he said. He wants blood."

"Deatheater blood. He could be useful." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't matter! Ron's a security hazard! He could turn on you. In case you don't remember, he attacked and killed several students and teachers before he turned around and saved me. He was with VOLDEMORT!" There was silence following.

"Ms. Granger is right." Everyone turned to see Dumbledore. "Ron can only control that creature to a certian degree. Everyone knows that Ron lets his temper get the best of him. That creature will use that temper to escape. Ron can't control his anger and therefore won't be able to control that creature. The Ministry thinks that the only way of controlling him is by putting him in Azkaban."

* * *

"Hermione, I'll be ok." Hermione shook her head, tears flowing. 

"Hermione please don't cry."

"I...don't go..."

"I have to."

"Don't forget about me."

"I won't."She grabbed him in to a big embrace. She had just found him, just admitted to him, just realized and now he was gone. He was leaving her for only God knows how long. She pulled away and looked up into his eyes. He leaned down and kissed her softly. He was about to deepen the kiss when McGonagall entered the room.

"Mr. Weasley, it's time to go." Ron nodded and they all left. Ron said good bye to his family then went over to Harry and Hermione, who were in the doorway. He grabbed Harry into a quick hug that made Hermione cry. She had never seen the boys hug each other and knew this would probably be the last time also. Both boys turned toward their sobbing friend and held out their arms and allowed her to come and hug them.

"I love you guys."

"We love you too." Ron pulled away and left the pub, to where the Aurors were standing with the portkey. He turned around and gave his family one more glance.

"I love you." He mouthed. They all waved and then Ron dissapeared.

"I love you too."

A/N: I hope you like the ending. Yes the ending. Don't worry. I'll be thinking up a sequel, but not to soon. If you want to see the banner for this story go to and look up BlairWitchOriginal. The name of the story is the same. Thanks to all the reviewers and I hope all of you have seen my other story, Fun and Games.


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